Coming Back
by 68guns
Summary: ELF. Will Lucas come back after he's injured in an explosion on board seaQuest?
1. Chapter 1

Bridger tried to withhold the exasperated sigh that threatened to break out as he looked at the sullen-faced teenager standing before him on the bridge. "Lucas," he tried again, "you knew that Commander Ford had specifically asked for the upgrades to the new security system to be installed by 1700 hours today. Why aren't they done? And 'I haven't gotten around to it yet' is not a valid answer!"

Lucas scowled even harder and looked down at the floor, a flush of red rising from his neck to his face. He mumbled something under his breath.

"What was that?" Bridger asked, trying to keep his tone even.

Lucas looked up and muttered, "I was playing a new game and I lost track of the time." His eyes slid away from Bridger's.

Bridger tried again, but the sigh could not be withheld. "That's not acceptable, Lucas," he said. "You wanted to be paid for your work and I agreed to that. So I think I am well within my rights to expect the assigned work to be done."

"I'll get it done!" Lucas said angrily. "It's not a big deal! Just give me a couple of hours! I could do something that simple in my sleep."

"I know it's an easy job for you, Lucas," Bridger said. "That's not the point. The point is the job was assigned, a specific deadline was given for its completion, and you failed to deliver."

"So fire me!" Lucas sneered. "I don't want to be here anyway!" He glared at Bridger defiantly.

Bridger didn't know what was going on with his resident teen genius but for the last week, he had been becoming increasingly difficult. Bridger tried to give him some slack; after all, he was only sixteen. But open defiance had to be dealt with.

"Lucas, you are confined to your quarters until further notice," he said firmly. "I will be by to discuss this situation with you in a few hours."

Lucas gave him another angry glare, but had enough sense not to push the situation any further. He whirled angrily and stomped off the bridge, ignoring the sympathetic glances from Tim O'Neill and Miguel Ortiz, two of his best friends.

"Captain – " Tim O'Neill said hesitantly.

"Yes, what is it, O'Neill?" Bridger replied.

"A private word with you, please, sir?"

Bridger crossed to O'Neill's station. O'Neill said, in a low voice, "His father called about a week ago, sir. He had promised Lucas to take him somewhere so they could spend some time together. But he cancelled the plans, said his work at World Power was at a crucial junction and he couldn't leave. Lucas took it kind of hard."

Bridger grimaced. Lawrence Wolenczak had a knack for making Lucas feel unwanted and unloved. As a father who had lost a son, Bridger had a hard time understanding how Wolenczak could ignore his own son – especially a son as incredible as Lucas.

"Thanks, Tim," he said softly. He'd still have to deal with Lucas' behavior, but at least now he could understand it a little better.

* * *

Lucas detoured toward the moonpool on his way to his quarters. God, he was so stupid! Captain Bridger was the best thing in his life, and he was ticking him off. He knew he should have stopped playing that game and installed the security updates, but he'd just been having so much fun with his friend Wolfman that time had gotten away from him. It had felt good to forget about his father for a while and to let the anger he felt for being pushed aside once again slip away.

And now he had let his anger at his father explode out toward Captain Bridger. He was such an idiot!

Arriving at the moonpool, he picked up the vocoder. "Darwin!" he called.

He didn't have long to wait before a sleek shape moved swiftly toward him through the crystal clear water. The dolphin's head broke the surface.

Darwin studied his human friend for a few seconds before speaking. "Lucas angry?"

"Just at myself, Darwin. I did something stupid." Lucas sat down on the edge of the pool and rubbed his hand over Darwin's head. "I lost my temper and took it out on Captain Bridger."

"Bridger will forgive Lucas." The mechanized voice was somehow able to convey the absolute certainty with which Darwin expressed his opinion.

"I hope so, Darwin. I sure do hope so."

* * *

"Captain, I'm picking up something on sonar," Ortiz said, intently listening to the signals bouncing back to him. "I'm not sure exactly what it is yet."

"Keep scanning," Bridger instructed, crossing the bridge to stand beside Ortiz and studying the display before him.

"This could be trouble, Captain," Ortiz suddenly said. "I think it's a World War II-era bomb and there's no sign it's been detonated. Our current position is taking us right over it."

"Helm, take evasive action!" Bridger snapped. "Hard to port!"

The _seaQuest_ started to move, but it was too late. The bomb exploded, the force of the explosion rocking the _seaQuest_ violently. Bridger was thrown to the floor, along with half the bridge crew. Monitors and screens went black, sparks flew from damaged equipment, and water from the dolphin tank erupted into the air through the broken hatch.

Bridger hauled himself up from the floor as the electrical systems of the boat flickered on and off before finally stabilizing. "Is anyone injured?" he called out.

Commander Ford had already done a quick assessment. "We need medical attention to Helm 1," he advised the captain, kneeling beside the dazed-looking crewman he had propped against the wall.

"I need a damage assessment to the boat," Bridger said. "Is the Medical Section intact?"

O'Neill had climbed back into his position and was reading monitors. "Yes, sir," he said. "The only damage appears to be to the moonpool."

"Darwin?" Bridger asked sharply.

"He's fine, sir. I'm picking up his vitals and everything is normal. The vocoder must be damaged, though. I can hear him but I can't pick up any translation."

"Get a medical team to the bridge now," Bridger ordered. Turning back to O'Neill, he asked, "None of the crew sections were damaged? Including Lucas' quarters?"

"No damage, sir," O'Neill said.

Bridger felt a wave of relief as he listened to the sounds of the medical team being summoned and the bridge crew pulling itself back together. As captain, he felt responsibility for everyone under his command, but Lucas held a special place. In many ways, he replaced the son that Bridger had lost and Bridger couldn't help the sometimes almost overwhelming fear that history would repeat itself, but this time under his own command.

If anything had happened to Lucas, particularly now when their last conversation had been unpleasant, Bridger wouldn't have been able to forgive himself.

* * *

An hour later, Bridger was surveying the damage to the moonpool. They had been incredibly lucky. There had only been a few injuries and those had been minor. Damage to the ship had been confined to this area. It had taken the brunt of the blast and it looked bad. Part of the roof structure had collapsed along the edge of the pool and debris was strewn everywhere. Luckily, no crew members had been in the area and Darwin had escaped injury.

As Bridger entered the area, Darwin's head broke the surface of the water and he chattered urgently. Bridger looked around for the vocoder, but it was nowhere to be seen. The column that had held the apparatus was in the area of collapse and it was undoubtedly damaged.

Darwin swam in urgent circles, continuing to chatter. Bridger crossed to the edge of the pool to try to calm the dolphin.

"Everything's all right, Darwin," he said, reaching out to the dolphin. "No one was badly hurt, and we'll get this area repaired." A crew was already coming in behind Bridger to begin assessing the damage.

Darwin jerked away from Bridger's hand, still chattering. He splashed water toward Bridger and swam toward the area of collapse, then back to Bridger, then back toward the debris again.

"What is it, Darwin?" Bridger asked, perplexed. He again tried to soothe the dolphin, but Darwin jerked away from him and continued his frantic circle.

Bridger followed Darwin, walking toward the scattered debris.

And then he saw it. At the edge of the debris, buried under the rubble, a thin hand stretched out in the dust and fragments of the collapse. A watch circled the wrist of the hand, a watch Bridger recognized immediately.

The watch he had given Lucas for his last birthday.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author note: Thanks for the welcomes, y'all are all so nice! (Yeah, I'm from the southern United States, and yeah, we really do say "y'all!") I've been lurking out here for quite a while and finally decided to come out and play. I've written the whole story (it's not real long) so I'll post every day until it's all out there.**

**I've always thought poor Lawrence Wolanczak gets slammed on a lot of these fics, so here's a change - he's a nice, misunderstood guy! Plus, I always loved Kristoffer Tabori back in the day. Did anybody else ever see him in "Rappacini's Daughter?"  
**

"I need a medical team to the moonpool immediately!" Ford jumped as Bridger's frantic voice exploded from the intercom. "Kristen, please respond!"

"Nathan, I'm on my way," Kristen Westphalen's voice replied. "What is it? What's wrong?"

"It's Lucas," Bridger said. "Hurry!"

Ford exchanged glances with O'Neill and Ortiz. "Captain?" he queried. "What's happened? What's wrong with Lucas?"

"He must have stopped at the moonpool on his way to his quarters," he heard Bridger reply. "The roof collapsed on top of him. He's alive, but I don't know how badly he's hurt. We're digging him out now." The sounds of frantic activity could be heard behind Bridger's voice. "I'll keep you posted. And, Tim – "

"Yes, Captain?" O'Neill responded, a worried look on his face.

"Pray," Bridger said simply.

* * *

The assessment damage crew turned rescue team was quickly but carefully shifting the debris that covered Lucas' still figure. They had uncovered the upper half of his body, revealing a still-bleeding gash on his forehead, a lump on the back of his head, a broken arm, and numerous contusions and bruises. His legs were trapped by a huge piece of a column being supported by a smaller piece of debris that was holding the full weight of it slightly above Lucas' legs. A worried-sounding debate was currently going on over the best way to get Lucas out without sending the column crashing down on him.

Bridger was kneeling beside the unconscious boy. He had torn off a piece of his uniform shirt and was holding it against the gash on Lucas' forehead to stop the bleeding. Lucas' breathing was shallow and unsteady, and Bridger held his breath at the end of each exhalation until he heard the sound of another breath.

Kristen Westphalen entered the area at a run and stopped in dismay at the sight before her. Then she rushed to Lucas' side.

Bridger shifted to allow her full access to Lucas. She quickly began an examination. "Definitely in shock," she muttered. "No doubt a concussion. I need head x-rays and full body x-rays as soon as we get him out of here. The arm's a simple break, shouldn't be any complications with that…" She looked up at Bridger with fear in her eyes. "How long before they get him out?"

Bridger turned to the still urgently-discussing rescue team. "How long?" he queried.

Major Davidson shook his head. "This whole area is totally unstable," he said. "If we try to shift that column, there's a good possibility the whole thing will just collapse right on top of him. We've got to get some equipment in here to lift it off of him."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Bridger snapped. "Get anything you need and get it now!"

"We've already called for the equipment, sir," Davidson answered quietly. "It's on its way."

Bridger shook his head in chagrin. "I'm sorry, Davidson," he said. "It's just… it's Lucas."

"We understand, sir," Davidson said. "And don't worry, sir. We'll get him out."

* * *

It took twenty minutes. Twenty of the longest minutes of Bridger's life. But finally, the column was lifted enough to slide Lucas out, hopefully without exacerbating his injuries.

Kristen had whisked him away to Medbay, barking out orders as she went. Bridger had stayed behind for a moment to try to sooth Darwin, and then followed quickly behind.

In Medbay, Bridger tried to stay out of the way of the frantic activity around the bed in which Lucas had been placed. Lucas was being hooked up to wires and monitors, was being x-rayed and scanned and God knew what else.

A shift change brought Tim O'Neill and Miguel Ortiz into the room, followed closely by Ben Krieg. They stood in a huddle near the door. Even the normally ebullient Krieg was silent and subdued.

The activity finally began to slow and medical personnel began moving away from the bed, leaving only Kristen and a nurse. Kristen brushed the hair from Lucas' forehead, looking tired and anxious, then turned toward Bridger.

"Tell me," Bridger said, willing his voice to stay calm.

"It's not good," Kristen said. "He has a massive head injury. There's no way to tell the effects until he wakes up. The broken arm is not an issue, it's a simple break, and the cut on his forehead is stitched and will be fine. He was amazingly lucky that he didn't suffer any other serious injuries from the collapse, just bruises and contusions. But the head injury, Nathan – " Her voice broke and tears filled her eyes.

Bridger was by her side in a moment and took her in his arms. "He'll be all right," he said fiercely. "This is Lucas, he's a fighter. He'll be all right," he repeated. "He has to be."

* * *

"I'm not taking no for an answer," Bridger said, trying to keep his voice from rising in his frustration. "You get me Dr. Wolenczak, and you get him now."

The woman on the videoscreen looked at him exasperatedly. "Dr. Wolenczak gave me strict orders that he was not to be disturbed, for any reason! And when Dr. Wolenczak says it, he means it!"

Bridger leaned forward. If he could have figured out a way to do it, he'd have reached right through the videoscreen and shaken the woman – hard.

"Dr. Wolenczak's son, Lucas, is in my care," Bridger said. "There's been an accident. He is seriously injured. And you still want me to tell me that Dr. Wolenczak would not want to be interrupted to hear that?"

The woman's face changed immediately. "Lucas is hurt? What happened? How serious is it?" She gripped the edge of the desk.

"Do you know Lucas?" Bridger asked in surprise.

"Yes, I've been with Dr. Wolenczak for over ten years now. He used to bring Lucas with him to work sometimes. He was always so bright and so precocious. Is he all right?" she asked anxiously.

"It's a serious injury. I really need to speak to Dr. Wolenczak."

"Hold on," the woman said. "And please, tell Lucas that Marie is wishing him all the best."

The screen went blank for a moment, then came back on, filled with the anxious face of Dr. Lawrence Wolenczak. "Captain Bridger, what is it?" he asked. "Marie said something happened to Lucas. Is he all right?"

"I wish I could say yes," Bridger said. He gave Dr. Wolenczak a brief rundown on the accident and Lucas' condition. "Dr. Westphalen is giving him the best care possible, but the head injury is severe."

"Where are you?" Dr. Wolenczak asked. "I'll be there as soon as I can."

An aide appeared in the videoscreen at Dr. Wolenczak's side. "Sir, there's an urgent call for you. It's the president of Brazil. He says he must speak with you right away."

"Not now," Dr. Wolenczak said, keeping his eyes fixed on Bridger. "I have an urgent personal situation."

Another aide appeared. "Dr. Wolenczak, the U.S. president is also calling, asking for you right away. And the CEO of Ambient Fiberoptics needs to speak with you urgently about some problems with the equipment they just installed."

Dr. Wolenczak ran his fingers through his hair, looking harried. "Just tell everyone to hold on," he finally said, turning his attention back to Bridger. "I need to speak to Captain Bridger and make arrangements to get to my son."

Another man appeared behind Dr. Wolenczak. Bridger recognized him as Wolenczak's personal assistant, Doug Riverton. "You cannot be serious, Lawrence!" he said. "You can't leave now! The project is in a crucial phase! You have to be here!"

For the first time, Bridger felt a twinge of sympathy for Lawrence Wolenczak. Although he still thought the man should make more time for his son, he obviously had significant work-related responsibilities. It couldn't be easy having so many demands on his time by so many important and influential people, along with overseeing the various contractors and suppliers working on the World Power project.

"Dr. Wolenczak," he said, drawing the man's attention back to him. "While of course you are welcome to come here, there isn't really anything you can do at this point. Lucas is unconscious. It's just a matter of waiting. We have an assignment that is not far from World Power, so in a few days, we'll be close to you. We can stay in touch and keep you updated on Lucas' condition. Hopefully, by the time we arrive in your area, he'll be better and you can meet us then to see him."

Dr. Wolenczak looked torn. "I want to be there," he said. "He's my son!" He looked at Bridger pleadingly, and Bridger could see the sheen of tears in his eyes. "I know I haven't spent as much time with him as I should, but I do love him. I love him," he repeated softly.

"I know you do," Bridger said sympathetically. It was impossible to doubt the man's sincerity. "We'll keep you updated on his condition and we'll keep you advised of our position. We'll do everything we can for him."

"Thank you," Dr. Wolenczak said. "Thank you, Captain Bridger. Thank you for everything you've done for Lucas. I know how much time you've spent with him and how much you mean to him. When he wakes up, tell him I'll be there as soon as I can, will you?"

"I will," Bridger said. "We'll keep you posted." As he ended the call, he could see all three aides bombarding Dr. Wolenczak with requests and he realized he hadn't had a true understanding of what he perceived as Dr. Wolenczak's indifference toward his son. He just wished that Lawrence Wolenczak could make Lucas see it, too.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Thanks for continuing to review, guys - appreciate it. And see, Lawrence did come to see Lucas so his concern was sincere! **

* * *

Bridger stretched his stiff muscles and stood up. Was it a law that the most uncomfortable chairs in a hospital or medical facility had to be placed in the patient rooms to torment those waiting at the bedside?

He glanced at his watch. He'd have time for a quick shower and a bite to eat before he needed to be on the bridge.

He surveyed the still figure in the bed beside him. Three days now and no change. He brushed the soft blond hair from Lucas' forehead, being careful to avoid the bandaged gash on his head. Lucas breathed shallowly, but at least he was still breathing.

The door opened and Ben Krieg stepped inside. "Any change, sir?" he asked. A look of disappointment crossed his face as Bridger shook his head.

"Still the same," he said, lifting Lucas' hand in his and feeling its laxness. "Kristin says we need to be patient, but the longer he's unconscious – " He broke off, unable to continue. He'd been alone on his island for so long, and he'd never thought he'd let anyone get close to him again except for the dolphins. But Lucas had become a part of his life so effortlessly. He couldn't imagine never seeing that impudent grin again.

"There's still hope, sir," Ben said. "I won't give up on him, and I know Kristen won't either." His voice was adamant. Bridger knew Krieg from the friendship he had had with Nathan's son Robert, and while others might see Krieg as superficial and shallow, he knew that a fierce loyalty to those he loved was part of Krieg's make-up. Krieg had struck up a friendship with Lucas from the very first and if Bridger was any judge of things, he now loved Lucas like a little brother.

"You should try to get a little rest, sir," Ben suggested. "We've got the schedule covered for the rest of today. I'll be with Lucas until two, then Miguel, then Tim. We've got people clamoring to help out by sitting with him, sir, so if you want to get some rest in your own bunk tonight, that's no problem." Bridger had been dozing beside Lucas' bed in Medbay for the last three nights, and Ben thought he looked exhausted.

"Thanks, Ben, but I'll be back at my usual time," Bridger answered. He touched Lucas' face and said softly, "I'll be back later, kiddo," before leaving the room.

Ben took the chair that the captain had recently vacated. He reached onto the shelf of the bedside stand and pulled out a copy of Treasure Island. "Okay, let's see now," he said, settling himself into the chair and opening the book. "Jim had just met Ben Gunn when we stopped reading yesterday, so we'll pick up there. You know," he said, patting Lucas' hand, "I still can't believe you've never read Treasure Island. When we were talking about classics that day and you said you'd read War and Peace, Moby Dick, and A Tale of Two Cities but never read Treasure Island, I was shocked. I mean, really, what kid has never read Treasure Island? But we'll remedy that by the time you're up and around again."

Ben kept his voice light and upbeat, but with every passing day, it was getting harder. Why did something like this have to happen to Lucas? Out of all the people on the boat, Lucas probably had the most to offer the world. The work he had already done as a 16-year-old surpassed what most people could accomplish in a lifetime. But what Ben always saw, underneath the bravado and the confidence, was the neglected kid who couldn't believe that anyone really wanted him around. Ben had made it his goal to show Lucas he was wanted not just for what he could do for people, but because of who he was. He wasn't always sure he was successful, but he did think he had made a difference in alleviating some of Lucas' self-worth issues. He just wanted a whole bunch more time to keep trying.

* * *

Later that evening, Bridger stopped by the moonpool on his way back to Medbay. As he approached the pool, Darwin's head broke the surface of the water at the edge of the pool. "Hello, Darwin," Bridger said, approaching the dolphin and stroking his sleek head.

"Bridger," Darwin's voice, translated through the now-repaired vocoder, responded. "Lucas is better?"

Bridger sighed. "No, not yet, Darwin," he said. "Lucas is still not awake. I'm going to stay with him tonight after I leave here."

Darwin moved his head restlessly. "Darwin should have helped Lucas better," he said. "Darwin could not tell people Lucas was hurt."

Bridger shook his head in amazement. It seemed that misplaced self-blame was not a peculiarly human emotion. "Darwin, it's not your fault," he said, patting the dolphin. "The vocoder was broken. But you did everything you could. If it hadn't been for you, we wouldn't have found Lucas until much later. I believe you saved his life."

"Darwin should have tried harder," the dolphin said stubbornly. "Darwin should have helped Lucas faster."

"You did the very best you could," Bridger assured the dolphin. "And I know Lucas will tell you the same thing just as soon as he wakes up." _And please God, let that be soon,_ he added silently.

* * *

"Hello, kiddo," Bridger said softly, smoothing the hair back from Lucas' forehead. "I missed you today. Don't you want to wake up and talk to me?"

It had been a week now, and still no change. Kristen said it was too early to give up hope, and Bridger knew he never would no matter how long it took, but he had overheard some of the crew talking about what a shame it was to lose such a brilliant mind.

Dr. Wolenczak had been there earlier. It was his third visit in as many days. He had stayed for a few hours, sitting by Lucas' side and talking to him softly. Bridger couldn't help but think how amazed Lucas would have been that his father had given him that much of his time.

"Hello, Nathan," a British-accented voice came from behind him. "Are you here for the night shift again?"

Bridger turned to see Kristin Westphalen behind him. She looked exhausted. He knew she was only grabbing sleep for herself in small snatches. She and Nathan had spent many of the early morning hours talking quietly by Lucas' bedside as they both held vigil there.

"You need some sleep, Kristin," Nathan said, touching her arm sympathetically. "You look totally exhausted."

"I'm fine," Kristen responded. "I can sleep once Lucas is out of danger."

"Is there any change?" Bridger asked, reaching out for Lucas' hand.

"No, not really. I just have this feeling – " Kristin broke off, laughing embarrassedly. "Lord, that sounds ridiculous. But I just feel like I need to be here tonight."

"I'm glad for the company," Bridger said. He pulled up another chair for Kristen beside his and they settled in for the long night.

A few hours later, Bridger and Kristen were both asleep when alarms went off on Lucas' monitoring equipment. They both jumped from their chairs. Kristen's practiced eye scanned the monitors and she started snapping out orders to the nurses who had rushed into the room. "Get the crash cart in here now!" she said. A nurse was already rolling the cart in. "Charge the paddles to 200," Kristen said as she opened Lucas' hospital gown and bared his chest.

Bridger was frozen, his eyes fixed on the flat line scrolling across the heart monitor. "Don't do this to me, Lucas," he said quietly. "You can't do this to me!" He stood by helplessly as the frantic activity around the bed continued.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Thanks to everyone for reviewing! Here's the next chapter. I firmly believe in NDEs (near death experiences), the whole tunnel and bright light and those who have gone before waiting to meet you; I believe there's something for us after death. So here's Lucas' NDE.**

* * *

_It's dark, _Lucas thought. _Where am I? _He strained his eyes, but he could see nothing. He stretched out a hand and edged forward slightly, but he could feel nothing.

"Hello?" he called out. His voice echoed as if he stood in a vast, empty place. "Is anybody here?"

He thought about the last thing he remembered. Yelling at Captain Bridger on the bridge, storming off and stopping at the moonpool, talking to Darwin… then nothing. Had he fallen asleep? Was he dreaming?

Lucas looked around again. He thought he saw a slight lessening of the darkness that surrounded him. As he squinted his eyes, trying to see, the darkness continued to decrease. Soon he could see his surroundings.

He seemed to be in a tunnel. He remembered when he was a kid; there was a tunnel just like this near his house, an old unused railway tunnel. He used to play there, sometimes alone and sometimes with the boy who had lived next door for a short while. It was funny, really, if you had asked him about that tunnel earlier, he would hardly even have remembered it, but now that he stood here, the memory of the tunnel came to him with startling clarity. He remembered the clammy chill of the tunnel, even on the warmest day, and the dank smell of dripping water. He remembered how his voice had echoed through the darkness.

Crossing to the curved wall of the tunnel, he reached out a hand curiously. It even felt the same as the suddenly-vivid memory of his childhood playground.

Ahead, a long distance away, Lucas could see the end of the tunnel. Still confused on where he was and how he had gotten here, Lucas decided walking toward the light he could see ahead of him was as good a plan as any.

The closer he got to the end of the tunnel, the brighter yet softer the light there grew. By the time he was halfway there, the light was as bright as the sun on a hot summer's day yet with a soft opalescence that soothed the eyes. By the time he was three-quarters of the way there, he realized that there was a figure standing just outside the entrance to the tunnel and from the way its attention stayed fixed on him, it seemed that it was waiting for him.

As Lucas drew nearer, he could see that the figure was a woman, but with the bright light behind her, he couldn't make out her face. He didn't feel any threat from the figure, though. He couldn't have said why, but he felt very safe with her.

"Hello, Lucas," a voice said. It was the woman who had spoken. Her voice was familiar to Lucas but he couldn't place it. "I've been waiting for you."

As she spoke, she took a step forward into the tunnel. As the light around her figure diminished and Lucas came closer, he realized why that voice was familiar. He'd listened to it a thousand times while he worked on the synthetic intelligence in Captain Bridger's quarters.

It was Carol Bridger.

"I know you," Lucas said, walking closer. She looked just like her photo, but a photo hadn't been able to capture the warmth in her eyes. "You're Captain Bridger's wife."

A look of sadness crossed the woman's face. "Yes, I was," she said softly. "Nathan and I had some wonderful years together. "

"But you're -" Lucas hesitated.

"Dead?" Carol laughed. "It's okay, you can say it. Yes, I am dead back in that world. But I'm so much more alive now than I ever was back there." Still smiling, she reached out a hand and touched Lucas' hair.

Lucas wondered if that was what a mother's touch would feel like. His own mother had always been so distant, so busy with her own life that she didn't have time for him. He used to wonder what was wrong with him that made it so hard for her to love him.

"I don't understand," he said, taking a step back. "What's going on? How can you be here? And where is here, anyway?"

"What's the last thing you remember, Lucas?" Carol asked.

"I was on the bridge," Lucas said slowly. "I had a fight with Captain Bridger. Then I went to the moonpool. I was talking to Darwin. Then something happened. There was a lot of noise and everything was shaking - " he broke off, putting a hand to his head as he had a sudden memory of pain.

"There was an accident," Carol said. "An explosion. Part of the roof collapsed on top of you."

Lucas stared at her in bewilderment. "Do you mean - am I dead?" he said wonderingly. Surprisingly, he didn't feel fear at the thought.

"Well, maybe at the moment," Carol said, confusing the boy still more. "But you don't have to stay that way."

"What do you mean?"

"You've got a choice to make, Lucas," Carol said. "You've been seriously hurt. Right now, you're in Medbay and your heart just stopped. But you can choose. You can go back, or you can cross over."

"Cross over to what?" Lucas asked. "To there?" He waved a hand at the bright but soothing light beyond the entrance to the tunnel.

"Exactly," Carol said.

"But - what is it? Where is it? "

"It's heaven. I wish I could tell you more about it, but there just aren't words. The places in the Bible that talk about the streets paved with gold and the many mansions are just an attempt to put into our earthly concepts something that is so far beyond." Her face glowed with joy as she spoke. "I can't describe it to you, Lucas, but it is so wonderful. And you would be so happy there. But there's Nathan." The smile slid away from her face.

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked.

"If you leave now, part of Nathan is going to die, too," Carol said, reaching out and taking Lucas' hand. "He loves you so much. He's already lost so much. I don't think he can take any more."

"He loves me?" Lucas repeated, uncertainly. "Me?"

Carol squeezed Lucas' hand. "You can't imagine how much," she assured him. "You've opened a place in his heart that he closed up when Robert disappeared and when I died. He shut himself away in his grief, but you brought him back."

Lucas couldn't believe what he was hearing. Could he really mean that much to Captain Bridger? Sure, he knew Captain Bridger took up a lot of time with him, but he thought that was just because the Captain felt sorry for him.

"You have to decide now, Lucas," Carol said. "No one can make the choice but you. It will be wonderful for you in heaven, more wonderful than I can say. If you decide to cross over, you'll be so happy. If you decide to go back, I can't promise you anything but pain and disappointments and troubles. But Nathan needs you. Would you be willing to make that sacrifice for him?"

"I - I - I don't know what to say," Lucas stammered. "Is this real? Or am I dreaming?"

"It's real, Lucas. I know it's hard to believe. But you have to accept that you are really being called to make this choice, right now, and you have to decide."

Lucas stared into her face. He thought about choosing heaven. There would be no more messages from his father saying he didn't have time for him, no more phone calls with his mother that left him feeling like she wouldn't notice if she never saw him again, no more disappointment and anger and frustration. He looked into the light and took an uncertain step toward it.

But then he stopped. He remembered all the good things in his life. He remembered playing with Darwin. He remembered evenings spent with Ben, Tim and Miguel. And most of all he remembered Captain Bridger - calling him kiddo, ruffling his hair, slinging an arm around his shoulder. And he realized that he loved Captain Bridger in a way that he wished he could feel about his father. What would it be to never feel that again?

He looked at Carol. She was watching him expectantly. Lucas looked once more at the light, then back at Carol. "I want to go back," he said. "I'm not ready to leave yet."

Carol stepped forward and hugged him. "I was hoping you would say that," she said. "He needs you so much, Lucas. Just keep being there for him. Go back. Your body is still healing, but you'll know when it's time to wake up." She stepped back.

"What do I do?" Lucas asked. "How do I get back?"

Carol just smiled. "Goodbye, Lucas," she said softly. "Take care of him for me." She turned and walked into the light until Lucas could no longer see her.

Something was different. Lucas turned his attention to the tunnel. Everything was getting darker and he could hear noises in the distance, faint echoing voices.

_I'm going to hit him one more time. Get the epinephrine ready…_

_Charging… everyone step back…_

_Clear!_

Lucas felt a searing pain in his chest, then everything was gone.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Note: Well, here's the last chapter and epilogue of my first fanfic. Thanks to everyone for reading! It's been fun!**

* * *

"I've got a rhythm, Doctor!" the nurse shouted. "It's ragged, but it's picking up… getting steadier… we've got him back."

Bridger let out a breath that he hadn't even been aware he was holding. He raised a shaking hand to his forehead and wiped off a sheen of sweat. They had almost lost him. His heart was still pounding from the sheer terror of it.

Kristen stepped away from the bed and turned toward him. He could see the same fear on her face. Silently he opened his arms to her and she stepped into them.

They clung together, shaking, as the nurses around Lucas' bed continued monitoring the equipment whose sounds had subsided from frantic alarms to rhythmic soft beeps.

"We've got him," Kristen said, stepping back from the shelter of Bridger's arms and moving to the bedside.

Bridger joined her and took Lucas' hand in his. "That was too close," he said quietly. "What happened?"

Kristen shook her head helplessly. "I don't know," she said. "Sometimes the heart just stops. But thank God we were able to get him back."

Bridger tightened his grip on Lucas' hand and studied his pale face. He was so still. Bridger was used to seeing Lucas in constant motion, his fingers flying over a keyboard, his foot tapping out a complicated rhythm, his eyes darting around a computer screen. Every day that he saw this motionless figure lying in this bed, it seemed that Lucas was slipping further away.

The room began to clear, until only Bridger and Kristen were left with Lucas. Bridger slipped his arm around Kristen's shoulders as she moved to stand next to him.

"I won't give up on him, Nathan," she whispered. "I'll never give up. We're going to get him back. I know we are."

Bridger squeezed her shoulder in silent affirmation.

* * *

Bridger stood on the beach of his island. The sand was warm under his bare feet and in the distance, he could see three dolphins moving through the surf, their dorsal fins breaking the surface in a smooth, undulating rhythm. The sun was shining brightly and the water glistened as the waves washed in and out.

Carol walked toward him, golden glints in her hair catching the sunlight. She was smiling and waving. As she reached him, Bridger took her into his arms, feeling the familiar warmth of her skin and smelling the rose-scented soap she always used.

"I wish I never had to wake up," he whispered into her ear, knowing he was dreaming. "I miss you so much."

Carol stepped back, smiling up at him. "I miss you, too," she said softly. "But it's not your time yet."

"Sometimes I wish it was," Bridger said sadly. "There's not much left in my life to live for." He thought of the loss of his son, then his wife. And after three months with no change, it seemed that Lucas was to follow. Lawrence Wolenczak wanted to move Lucas to a brain trauma unit at a facility specializing in head injuries. Bridger had the feeling that he would never see Lucas again if that happened.

"Don't talk that way," Carol scolded gently. "You have everything to live for. Lucas is going to wake up and he's going to need you."

"I wish I could believe that," Bridger said. "But it's been so long."

"His body has been healing," Carol said. "He's almost there. It won't be much longer." She wrapped her arms around Bridger's waist and laid her head against his chest. "I know it's been hard, but you just have to hold on a little longer."

Bridger hugged Carol, resting his cheek against the top of her head. This was the most vivid dream he had ever had. He could feel the softness of her hair, smell her shampoo.

All too soon, Carol stepped away from him again. "It's time for me to go," she said. "But I want you to know something, Nathan. Lucas had a choice. He could have left all the sadness and sorrow of this life behind and moved on to something so much better, or he could choose to stay. He chose to stay, Nathan. And the reason he chose to stay was you." Before Bridger could answer, she turned and walked away toward the sun. Bridger saw her turn and wave to him, and he heard her voice saying, "Tomorrow night, Nathan. Wait for him then," before she vanished into the light.

Bridger opened his eyes into darkness. He turned and looked at the clock beside his bunk. It was 3:00 am.

He turned over and closed his eyes, trying to hold on to the sight, sound, smell and touch of his wife. As he drifted back to sleep, he heard her voice again saying, "Tomorrow night."

* * *

"Dr. Wolanczak is here, sir," Tim O'Neill said to the captain. "Commander Ford is taking him to Medbay, and he's asking if you can meet him there."

Bridger sighed. "Tell him I'm on my way," he said. "Mr. O'Neill, you have the bridge."

"Aye, aye, sir," O'Neill replied.

Bridger got on the maglev and headed for Medbay. He knew what Lawrence Wolanczak wanted, and he was running out of ways to head him off.

Exiting maglev, he saw Dr. Wolanczak talking to Kristen. Crossing to them, he held out his hand. "Lawrence," he said. "Good to see you."

"Hello, Nathan," Lawrence Wolanczak said. He looked tired. Over the last few months, Bridger had gained a new appreciation for the man. Even though his work at World Power was more demanding than ever, Wolanczak had come to see Lucas at least every few days. Bridger could tell that the strain of dealing with his demanding job and his critically ill child was wearing on him.

"I was just telling Kristen that I think it's time, Nathan," Wolanczak said. He sighed. "I want to believe that Lucas is going to wake up as much as anyone does, but it's been three months with no change. I've been talking to the institute that I told you about the last time I was here. They have a bed available, and they're willing to admit Lucas for a full evaluation and treatment. I think it's the right place for him."

Nathan looked toward the bed where the still figure of Lucas lay. _Tomorrow night,_ a whisper drifted through his head. He shook his head, knowing he had to accept reality, not let a dream obviously concocted by his subconscious influence him. "I understand, Lawrence," he said. "When do you want to move him?"

Kristen began a protest, but then stopped. "I understand, too," she said. "I selfishly want to keep him here close to me, but maybe there's something that can be done at the institute." The resignation in her voice told Nathan that she didn't have much hope in her words.

"I understood you would be here for the next few days, unless anything's changed, Nathan?" Wolanczak queried. At the negative shake of Bridger's head, he continued, "I've made arrangements for an ambulance to pick him up at the dock the day after tomorrow, if that's all right."

_Two days, _Bridger thought. _Then I'll never see him again. _But all he said aloud was, "Of course, Lawrence. Just let us know what you need."

* * *

"Hello, darling," a voice said in the darkness of Bridger's room. "I've missed you terribly."

Bridger's eyes snapped open and he stared at the holographic image of his wife, imposed on a rippling backdrop of mist. Carol's image smiled at him.

Bridger looked at the clock. 3:00 a.m. Suddenly he remembered the dream he had had last night. _Tomorrow night_, Carol had said. _Wait for him then._

The hologram powered down and faded into blackness.

Feeling somewhat foolish, Bridger flipped on the light and started getting dressed. He didn't believe in dreams, but as long as he was up….

Bridger stepped into Medbay. The lone nurse in attendance was reading a magazine in one of the offices. She looked up as Bridger entered. "I'm just going to sit with Lucas for a while," he called softly. She nodded.

Bridger moved toward Lucas' bed. Pulling up a chair, he sat down beside the bed and took Lucas' hand.

He was so thin now. He had always been slim, but his face looked gaunt and his fingers felt so fragile. "Hello, kiddo," he said, reaching out to stroke his hair. He had always heard that some coma patients reported being able to hear and feel while they were in a coma, so he always spoke to Lucas and touched him, just in case. "Your dad wants to move you to a hospital. I know it makes sense, but I don't want you to go. I want you to stay here where you belong."

He continued to hold Lucas' hand as his mind wandered through a thousand memories. Lucas flashing him that impudent grin while he made dolphin hand signals at Bridger during their first meeting, the wonder in Lucas' eyes as they explored the Library of Alexandria, the relief on Lucas' face as Bridger pulled him into his arms after nearly losing him in a hurricane, Lucas' determined efforts to rebuild the Stinger in time for the submersible competition after the prototype was stolen. And always, that slight uncertainty that he had a place, that he was valued and loved.

"Your dad was here again today," he said to the still figure in the bed. "You would be so amazed at how many times he's been here. I think we've both misunderstood him. He does care, he just isn't very good at showing it. He's trying to do the best he can for you. He left you here in Kristen's care for probably longer than we had a right to expect. But now he wants to move you. And I guess it's time to let you go."

Bridger let his gaze linger on Lucas' face. He looked so young. If only - -

Bridger jumped. He thought he had felt a movement in his hand. He looked down at Lucas' hand lying in his. There it was again! It was slight, but Lucas' fingers had twitched!

As Bridger held his breath, Lucas' hand clenched into a loose fist. Bridger raised his eyes to Lucas' face and saw his head turn slightly. His brow furrowed and his eyelids trembled. Then slowly, so slowly, his eyes opened.

"Lucas?" Bridger breathed. "Can you hear me?"

"C - C - Captain?" Lucas said hoarsely. He looked confused.

Bridger jumped to his feet. "Get Kristen!" he yelled to the startled nurse. As she looked at Lucas, her eyes got wide and she was on the comlink, talking urgently.

"Don't close your eyes, Lucas," Bridger pleaded. "Just stay with me!"

Lucas blinked, his eyes tearing. He rolled his head restlessly against his pillow.

Bridger couldn't let go of his hand. He couldn't take his eyes off his face. Would he stay awake? Had he suffered brain damage in the accident?

Kristen entered Medbay at a run, her silk dressing gown flying behind her. "Oh, my God," she said, running to the bed. "Lucas!"

* * *

An hour later, Lucas was sitting up in the bed, propped against pillows. He was weak, but he was smiling. His voice was still hoarse but he could talk, and it was obvious that his mind was still sharp and his intellect intact.

Bridger and Kristen sat beside him. They had explained what had happened, and told Lucas how long he had been unconscious. At first he couldn't believe that three months had gone by, but the condition of his own body had finally convinced him.

"I can't believe you kept me here all this time," he said to Bridger and Kristen. "Why did you let me stay here?"

"Do you even have to ask, my boy?" Kristen said fondly. "I would never have given up on you. I didn't want you out of my sight."

Lucas smiled at her shyly. "Thank you," he said.

"I called your father," Bridger told him. "He'll be here soon."

Lucas shook his head in disbelief. He could hardly believe what Captain Bridger had been telling him about his father's attitude and actions over the last months. Maybe when he got there, they'd be able to really talk for the first time in years.

"Welcome back, kiddo," Bridger said. "You scared the hell out of us, and we'd both appreciate it if you'd make a point never to put us through anything like this again!"

Lucas smiled as Kristen leaned over and kissed his cheek while Captain Bridger ruffled his hair.


	6. Epilogue

Six Months Later

A knock came on Bridger's door. "Enter!" he called.

The door opened and Lucas came in. "Hey, Captain," he said, looking down at the printouts he was holding in his hand. "I was taking some readings near those black smokers and I thought you'd be interested." As he held out the papers to Bridger, there was a whirring noise and the holographic image of Carol Bridger appeared.

"Hello, darling," her voice said. "I've missed you terribly."

Bridger and Lucas were both startled. "Did you turn it on?" Lucas asked.

"No," Bridger said. "It just came on by itself. That's the second time…"

His mind was drawn back to that night six months ago, when the hologram coming on by itself had wakened him and prompted his visit to Medbay in time to see Lucas come back.

He looked over at Lucas. Lucas was staring at the hologram, with an odd expression on his face. "Lucas?" he asked. "Lucas, what is it?"

"I don't know," Lucas said slowly. "It's like I can almost remember -" He shook his head. "It's like a dream or something," he said, searching for the memory. "I was somewhere with her. We were talking. It was something really important, something I had to decide…" His words trailed off. Looking up at Bridger, he forced a grin. "Crazy, huh? You're not going to punch me out for dreaming about your wife, are you?" he joked.

_He chose to stay, Nathan. And the reason he chose to stay was you. _The words echoed in Bridger's head. Had Carol really been there with Lucas while he chose whether to live or die? Had it been more than just a dream?

He'd probably never really know. But whether it happened or not, somehow Lucas had come back to him. And he meant to make the most of every moment.


End file.
